1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mechanism for feeding materials to a sewing machine in an automated manner. In particular, the invention is directed to a mechanism for automatically feeding two different materials toward a sewing machine so as to assist in automated sewing of those two materials together by the sewing machine.
2. Description of Prior Art
In ordinary process for forming an automotive seat, a trim cover assembly is attached over a whole of seat frame to provide a decorative or upholstery outer surface of the seat. Generally stated, many of trim cover assemblies comprise: a central cover section adapted to cover a horizontal central seating area of a seat on which an occupant""s buttocks rests; and a curved or arcuate peripheral cover section sewn with and along the curved or arcuate peripheral end portion of the central cover section, wherein such peripheral cover section is adapted to cover a vertical peripheral walls of the seat. In some cases, a recti nearly extending retainer of hard synthetic resin material is sewn to and along a free end portion of the arcuate peripheral cover section for the purpose of anchoring the trim cover assembly to a frame or wire member provided in the seat. In other words, for instance, as can be seen from the designation (B) in FIG. 7, the retainer is of a long tape shape having a hook-like engagement portion of generally xe2x80x9cJxe2x80x9d shaped cross-section (at B2). This retainer is sewn with and along the free end portion of the arcuate peripheral cover material (see FIG. 8), so that the hook-like engagement portion may be engaged over a frame or a wire member provided in the seat, thereby anchoring a whole of the trim cover assembly to the inside of seat.
In advance before forming such trim cover assembly, the peripheral cover section has been sewn curvilinearly with the central cover section in such a manner as to extend vertically therefrom by about a right angle, whereupon a trim cover assembly is provided, which has a generally flat central cover section and a generally arcuate peripheral cover section extending in a vertical direction from the central cover section. Thus, as understandable from FIGS. 7 and 8, a whole of the trim cover assembly with which the retainer is to be sewn assumes a three-dimensional configuration. But, this three-dimensional configuration makes it rather difficult for a worker to sew the retainer with the peripheral cover section, because the worker has to manually guide and feed the retainer and peripheral cover section to a sewing machine while holding and aligning the end of the retainer with the end of the peripheral cover section with his own hands. As a result thereof, the sewing process has been poor in efficiency and rapidity, requiring a high expertise and long experiences on the side of workers.
In view of the above-stated drawbacks, it is a primary purpose of the present invention to provide an automated feeding mechanism for a sewing machine which allows both rectilinear retainer and arcuate peripheral cover section of trim cover assembly to be smoothly fed to a sewing machine so that those two materials can be sewn together with much ease.
In order to achieve such purpose, in accordance with the present invention, there is basically provided an automated feeding mechanism in combination with a sewing machine including a feed dog member workable in one feeding direction, wherein the automated feeding mechanism is operable for automatically feeding a hard synthetic resin material and a trim cover assembly toward the sewing machine, wherein the hard synthetic resin material has a free end and the trim cover assembly comprises a central cover section including an arcuate end portion and an arcuate peripheral cover section sewn with and along the arcuate end portion, the arcuate peripheral cover section extending vertically from the central cover section and having a free end,
the automated feeding mechanism comprising:
a table on which the sewing machine is fixedly mounted;
a rotary support means disposed in vicinity of the sewing machine, the rotary support means having a contour generally equal in shape to a contour of the trim cover assembly, thereby allowing the trim cover assembly to be attached and supported thereon, the rotary support means being rotatably mounted on the table so as to allow the arcuate peripheral cover section of the trim cover assembly to be fed toward the sewing machine along the foregoing one feeding direction associated with the feed dog member;
a support means arranged on one side of the rotary support means such that the support means is disposed along a peripheral end of the rotary support means, the support means being adapted to support the arcuate peripheral cover section of the trim cover assembly thereon;
a space for allowing the hard synthetic resin material to be stored therein, the space being defined at such one side of rotary support means; and
a clamp means provided in the support means, the clamp means being adapted to temporarily retain the arcuate peripheral cover section.
Accordingly, operation of the automated feeding mechanism causes both of juxtaposed portions of the hard synthetic resin material and arcuate peripheral cover section to be automatically fed toward the sewing machine, with the free ends of hard synthetic resin material and arcuate peripheral cover section being in alignment with each other, along the feeding direction.
In one aspect of the present invention, a drive means is provided and operable such that a peripheral velocity of the rotary support means being rotated by the drive means is equal to a feeding speed of the feed dog member at which the hard synthetic resin material and arcuate peripheral cover section are fed by the feed dog member in the feeding direction.